Count Me In
by ohwhatsherface
Summary: AU. I propose a road trip. Like, right now. So ladies, pack your clothes, makeup, and junk food, and don't forget the IDs! Oh, and, uh, some gas money would be nice.
1. prologue

**Count Me In  
**by: ohwhatsherface

**0. PROLOGUE**

…

…

…

**Twenty-One Things That ****MUST**** Be Done Before We Turn Twenty-One  
**by: Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata

(Note: Tenten is _so_ old!)

**1. Go on a road trip. **

Sakura: Even if it _is_ going to be done in Tenten's five-hundred dollar lame-mobile, or my gas-guzzling convertible—we _will_ go on one!

**2. Learn to play an instrument.**

Ino: It's saddening how Sakura can play guitar, Tenten can play the drums and Hinata is a pianist yet I can't even play the freaking _triangle_ nicely.

**3. Buy a lottery ticket.**

Tenten: So what? I am an extreme believer in those things like Karma and Love At First Sight and most certainly Luck!

**4. Dye my hair a crazy color. **

Hinata: Seriously, I have to try it. Heck, even highlights can count for this one.

**5. Kiss Sasuke Uchiha.**

Sakura: What? It had to be said (or well, written). And I'll do it. I mean, he is _so_ hot.

**6. Do my own laundry and remember how I did it.**

Ino: I know. It's sad. Very sad. Very, very, very sad, that no matter how many times you guys try to teach me, I still forget how. But I _will_ prevail.

**7. Hm, attend the wedding of someone I don't know.**

Tenten: Have we _not_ seen the major success that occurred in _Wedding Crashers_ (or well, just the beginning of it)?!

**8. Tell a stranger my Life Story.**

Hinata: Like in _Can You Keep a Secret?_, just not as humiliatingly. I just wanna blab to a Random and Unbiased Person because then they won't judge me, just be amused.

**9. Go bungee jumping in the arms of an extremely beautiful man.**

Sakura: Now _that_ is what I call falling for someone… Bad pun, yeah, I know, but it had to be said.

**10. Two words. Skinny. Dip.**

Ino: Another two words. Oh. Yes.

**11. Make 1000 paper cranes.**

Tenten: I have no idea why people do this, but I do it. I have about three-hundred of them at home, in a shoe box, but whatever. I _so_ need to finish this.

**12. Get into a bar, illegally. **

Hinata: Stop looking at me like that.

**13. Buy something(s) that I know I cannot afford.**

Sakura: Uh, well, hopefully with someone else's money.

**14. Donate blood.**

Ino: Save lives _and_ get over my fear of needles! It's a win-win situation!

**15. Find a pair of jeans that fits the four of us.**

Tenten: See, I kindasortasomewhat _just_ (re) read _The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants_, and well, _yeah._

**16. Do karaoke in front of a fairly large crowd.**

Hinata: Of course, with you three people.

**17. Get my picture taken by some photographer, or painted by an artist, at least.**

Sakura: And perhaps, if I'm lucky, put on a billboard? Yeah? No. Okay.

**18. Have a song written about me.**

Ino: Hopefully by a very, very pretty boy. Man. With an acoustic guitar. Oh. Yes.

**19. Get a tattoo.**

Tenten: I'm not sure of what, yet, but I really, really want one. Perhaps while on our road trip?

**20. Talk on the radio.**

Hinata: Even just to win tickets to some sort of event or whatever. I want to. I really, really do!

**21. Fall in love, and be able to confess it.**

All: Yeah…


	2. girls just wanna have fun

A satisfied smile tugged at Sakura's lips when she kicked Tenten's mattress, prompting the sleeping girl to release a frustrated groan, followed by a few incomprehensible curses. Tenten's mother wasn't at home as she'd already gone to work, so Sakura, perfectly aware of where the spare key was located, deigned to let herself in.

It was a warm day in May when Sakura's current idea remained buzzing through her head. She'd just recently finished her exams and, more importantly, her second year of university. She'd spent the past night overloading on coffee and cramming a semester's worth of biology into her days. When she finally finished her exams exactly four days ago, she immediately went out for a few drinks with her favourite people in the world.

When Tenten and Ino moved back to their apartment in downtown Konoha last September and Hinata went to stay with her uncle and his family near Senju Hashirama University in northern Fire Country, Sakura felt very much like a part of her was missing.

Three-quarters of her, to be specific.

Grinning, Sakura kicked the mattress a second time. "Wake up, loser!"

"Go _awaaaaay_."

Tenten had only come back a week ago, although Sakura only saw her after her exams as she'd been so busy with school and boy did she miss Tenten.

Like a lot.

Sure, she and Ino tended to come home at least once a month and the girls often visited each other at their respective universities, but _still_…

"Seriously." Sakura sat down at the edge of Tenten's face and poked the girl over and over, ignoring Tenten's whimpers of protest. "Get up or I'll pour water on your face."

Tenten pulled her covers down just enough so that her eyes were visible. They were narrowed down to slits. "I'll cut you."

Sakura only laughed. "Stop being lazy! We have a whole summer to be taking advantage of!"

"Exactly," Tenten muttered into her pillow after she turned over. "I'm using mine to sleep. You can use your to _shut the hell up_."

Sakura snorted and pulled at the blanket so that she could join Tenten in bed. After pushing the older girl to the side and settling in, she shrugged, feeling a bit of sympathy. So _this_ was why Tenten wouldn't get up. Damn, those were some fantastic sheets on that bed.

Right.

"Tenten?"

Tenten sighed loudly before opening her eyes fully and looking at Sakura expectantly. "_What_?"

"It's time to wake up—"

"It's time for you to go to hell."

"—because we're going on a _road trip_, baby!"

.

* * *

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**Count Me In  
**by: ohwhatsherface

**1. girls just wanna have fun**

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* * *

.

Sakura adjusted the sunglasses she had picked up at the last gas station they had to stop at. They were a cute pair of aviators with a black tint and red rims.

"Go faster," Tenten urged, poking the driver of the cherry red convertible. Her hair was let down for the wind to blow through. Tenten glanced at the side mirror near her passenger's seat, and saw that Hinata, who was sitting behind her, also had her hair down.

"Hell no," Sakura practically shouted. She glanced down at the speed meter to see the needle brushing past 130 km/h. "Seriously. _Hell_. No." She had a tendency to speed and _may_ have gotten a ticket or two in her past four years of being a licensed-driver but she wasn't about to test her luck when they were in the middle of a road trip.

Ino snorted. She sat behind Sakura and busied herself with reading a magazine despite everyone trying to convince her that doing so would make her nauseous.

"Seriously," Ino said. "We're already going for the killer expensive gas bills! There is no freaking way can we afford a ticket for speeding!"

"But…" Hinata gave her a confused stare. "We're already speeding."

"Exactly." Tenten lifted a hand and ran her fingers through her rapidly tangling hair. Man, it felt nice. She reached over to the radio and turned up the volume for _Billy Jean_ in all its classicalness. "I mean, Sakura, we're in the middle of the freaking _desert_. Who cares if we're speeding?"

Sakura continued to look ahead behind her shades.

"Okay, fine, if we _must_ listen to Michael Jackson I won't bitch, but change the song at least, uh, _please_?"

She rolled her eyes at Ino's request and took one hand off of the wheel to change the song to _Thriller_. Really, she thought, given their current speed, _they could barely hear the music_.

"Ugh!" Hinata whined and slapped Tenten's seat. "Change the artist. We've been listening to Michael Jackson for like, five hours. Doesn't your iPod have like, a million different songs?"

Sakura snorted. "Oi, we've only been driving for two!"

"Correction," Ino interrupted. "_Aimlessly_ driving."

Gradually, Sakura began to slow down the car until she came to a complete stop at the side of the road. It was nearly noon and the desert skies were blue and sunny. There was nothing around them but empty roads and empty lands.

"We're not driving aimlessly," Tenten said. "We have an aim! Seriously! Now…" Her finger twirled circles around the front of Sakura's iPod. "Pick a number between one and sixty."

Ino raised a fine, blond eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because the iPod is on random and I will play whatever number you choose."

"Sakura's iPod only has sixty songs?"

"Of course not," Tenten muttered. "This is twenty gigs or something."

"Twenty four," corrected Sakura.

"Fifteen," Hinata replied, before they got into further pointless conversation.

Tenten pressed the fast forward button until she reached the fifteenth random song and a small smile played at her lips at the song.

"What'd you pick?" Ino asked, fixing her hair. Now that Sakura stopped driving, the wind was no longer blowing it nicely, leaving it tangled and messy.

The brunette smirked at Sakura and turned the volume up.

"_Shut up and drive_."

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* * *

.

Sakura lifted her sunglasses to rest on her head as she read the sign.

Valley of the End: NORTH  
Otafuku City: NORTH  
Crater City: EAST  
Suna: EAST  
Tanzaku City: WEST

"So I believe number one is going to be the first thing on this thing to be completed," Ino commented as she read over the list they had made many years ago. "Are we doing these in order? I really hope not, because if so, then that would mean that I have to learn an instrument next."

Sakura yawned but chuckled nonetheless. "Nah, you don't have to do them in order. I don't think it's possible."

"Well it's possible," Hinata contradicted. "Just not probable. "

Tenten snorted, reaching to the backseat to take the list from Ino's hands.

"_Totally_ not probable," she muttered, reading over the list. "I mean, were we even thinking when we wrote this thing up?"

Hinata peered over Tenten's shoulder and giggled slight while reading things. "I can't believe I said I'd dye my hair…"

"That's nothing," Ino comforted, smirking evilly at Sakura. "Sakuface over here said she'd kiss _Sasuke Uchiha_."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Well, that's not happening considering he's miles and miles away. He's still at his apartment. And besides, I still have a year!"

"Actually, according to Neji, the two of them are going to meet up with some fellow guy friends in Suna," Hinata murmured, looking away innocently.

At the news, the car came to an abrupt halt.

"Ow—"

"God damnit, Sakura—"

"Ugh, you _loser_—"

"Seriously?" Sakura asked, staring back at Hinata. Had there been cars behind the red convertible, they probably would have been honking furiously at the unexpected stop. "Seriously?"

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Sakura, now is not the time to convert back to Stalkerism."

"Actually…" Ino smiled slyly and put her chin on the shoulder of Sakura's seat, smiling at her and Sakura's reflections in the mirror. Blue met green and the pair managed to have a conversation simply through their eyes. "I think…"

Sakura smirked, matching Ino's expression.

"I think this trip isn't so aimless anymore."

With that said, Sakura made a u-turn back to the sign she had been reading previously.

"To Suna, we go!"

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* * *

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**tbc**

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* * *

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**August 21, 2012:** So I know I've left this story alone for a grand total of four years (plus some) and I apologize for that. I've opened it up many times over the years trying to write it but I feel like I don't know how to write chick-lit anymore. But what I _do_ know how to do is go on road trips, so with that said, I most definitely plan on rewriting this so that they're a few years older. Enjoy and expect more updates this week.


	3. money, money, money

Hinata nervously chewed on her lower lip as Sakura, Ino and Tenten discussed the plan of action in their spot at the gas station. Across from Sakura's convertible, on the other side of the gas pump, was another car.

"I don't know, you guys," Hinata mumbled, fiddling with the paper in her hands. It was supposed to be a crane, but ended up crumpled and a bit damp due to her nervous sweat. "I really don't think you should try this. I mean—"

Tenten waved a hand. "Hey, it worked in _Heartbreakers_, remember?"

"Oh!" Ino clapped with a wide grin. "I loved that movie! We should rent it sometime—"

"_Not_ the point," Sakura cut off, rolling her eyes. "But yes, it did work. Now, here's the plan." She glanced at Hinata and smiled. "Don't worry, Hina. We won't make you participate if you're uneasy with this." She then looked back at her two other partners in crime. "Tenten, you ask questions," she ordered quietly. She turned to Ino. "And you, you flirt madly." Sakura reached to the backseat and pointed to the top two buttons of Ino's shirt, barely done up to begin with. "And you might as well just undo that thing completely."

Ino glanced to their left and snickered at the sight of a brown-haired boy who was most likely just about their age. He was filling up the tank of his red Mustang, looking rather pretty with that white, slightly-dirtied wife beater, and washed jeans.

"Mm." Tenten smiled at the boy, although he didn't notice them. "I love the bad boys. I think I'll give him an 8.7 on the badass scale. What about you guys?"

"7.1," Sakura replied, turning off the engine, "because something tells me he's stupid."

Ino grinned dreamily, "Ugh, most _definitely_ a 9.3!" She looked to her right at the silent Hinata. "What about you?"

"Um…" Hinata merely shook her head. "Uh, I don't know, a 6.8?"

Sakura laughed at the flustered look on Hinata's cheek and reached over the side of the car from where she stood outside her door, to pat Hinata on the head.

"Aw, don't worry, Hinata!" she comforted. "You don't have to play our dumb games, if they make you feel awkward. We've told you that so many times already!"

Tenten nodded, opening her door and stepping out. "Yeah, seriously."

"Just watch us work our magic," Ino whispered, hopping out over the side of the door.

Hinata simply stared in bewilderment as the blonde and brunette walked over to the boy at the gas pump beside them.

"Hi there," Ino said coyly, tilting her head ever so slightly, pouting a bit.

Tenten mirrored the look on Ino's face.

"We were wondering if you could help us with something…"

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* * *

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**Count Me In  
**by: ohwhatsherface

**2. money, money, money**

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* * *

.

"Where _are_ we?" Hinata questioned as she looked around the dark streets wearily. Or well, no. That was inaccurate. They actually were _not_ dark. In fact, they were well-lit. They were _very_ well-lit. With advertisements.

For _strippers_.

Sakura made a face. It was difficult to see her scowl due to the gas station sunglasses she had yet to remove. There were no longer any intense rays of sunshine to brighten up the roads, nor was the wind whipping through her pink, now-tangled hair to explain why she had them on still. She just liked the sunglasses, really.

"This, my dears, is Otafuku City," Sakura explained in a dull tone. "My mom's sister and her family live here."

Ino leaned forward in her seat to smile at Sakura. "By any chance, does said family include a very hot boy who would be your cousin, and therefore slightly wrong yet very hot to make out with?"

Sakura braked hard when the light turned red, causing the blonde to crash into the seat in front of her.

"Ow!"

Tenten sighed and rolled her eyes. "Guys, we should probably just take turns driving for the night, to keep from spending all our money too soon. I mean, we have to pay for gas, for food, for the multiple shopping sprees we're going to go on, I think that paying for a hotel would be…"

Her chocolate eyes widened as an idea struck her.

"Do you think they'll let us stay with them?" Tenten asked.

"Tch." Sakura snorted, stepping on the gas pedal again when the light changed once more. "I think the question is whether or not_ I_ want _us _to stay… with… them…"

Hinata frowned when Sakura stopped driving by the side of the road and continued turning her head to look at something.

Or someone.

The dark-haired girl followed Sakura's gaze until she was seeing what Sakura was seeing.

There, standing outside a strip club, having had just come out of it, was a blond-haired boy, who Hinata thought couldn't have been any older than they were. He had bright blue eyes that were gazing down at a scantily-clad leggy brunette who was hanging off his arm.

Hinata thought he was beautiful.

"Getting over Sasuke, are we now?" Ino teased, also looking at the blond boy. "Yeah, he's pretty hot—"

"Pretty hot, _my ass_," Sakura screeched. "That's _Naruto_!"

"Cute name," Ino continued with a wink.

"Ugh!"

She stomped out of the car without turning it off and Tenten slid over to the driver's side to pull it over. She turned to the window just in time to see Sakura smack the blond in the head.

"Ew, you _pervert_, do not tell me I just saw you come out of a _strip club_!"

The three in the car gawked at Sakura's act of violence. The most likely stripper ran off while the blond rubbed his face painfully, glaring half-heartedly.

"Ah, Cuz, what the heck are you _doing_ here?"

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* * *

.

"So, who are you again?"

They were all seated in a small diner in the less strip-club-inhabited parts of Otafuku City. Sakura and Tenten sat on one side of the booth, while Ino and Hinata were on either side of the stray that Sakura had pick up.

"I'm Naruto," he replied with a bright smile. Sakura had actually introduced them in the car, after dragging the blond boy by the ear to the backseat and pushing him in. She'd almost hit Hinata. "Uzumaki," he added. "Naruto Uzumaki."

Tenten nodded. "And how do you know Sakuface?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and turned her head slightly to sip on the iced yea she bought. Mentally, she cursed Tenten for the lame nickname that seemed to have taken away any fear Naruto had felt for her.

"Sakuface?" Naruto repeated with a wide grin. "_Sakuface_? Seriously—"

"Shut up," Sakura snapped. "Or I will tell your father where I just found you."

Naruto's eyes widened. "You _wouldn't_!"

"Oh, I would." She smirked evilly. "And hey, don't even get me started on your _mother_."

Hinata, who was sitting awkwardly and silently, fiddled with the scrambled eggs on her plate. She and Tenten had opted to get some breakfast at the diner since it was served all day. She tossed the yellow chunks around from side to side to relieve some the discomfort she was feeling.

"You can't tell them!"

"You just watch me!"

"No, I'll do anything!"

Something flashed in Sakura's eyes and the other girls suddenly felt nervous. "Oh?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow at her cousin. "Anything, you say?"

Naruto nodded eagerly.

"Well, you see, me and my lady friends here are on a bit of a road trip," she explained. "And well… gas is getting expensive, you know?"

The blond boy frowned at her. "Are you asking me to give you money?"

"Don't be silly!" Sakura's grin widened devilishly. "I'm _ordering_ you to give me money."

"Y—you can't do that…" he stuttered, eyes wide. "We're _family_! How can you be so cruel, Sakura?!"

"It's not cruel." She rolled her jade eyes. "It's business." Sakura then laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "Now, let us discuss the grocery list you shall be paying for…"

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* * *

.

"I'm really sorry about this," Hinata mumbled.

Naruto Uzumaki was apparently the cousin of her close friend, Sakura Haruno. She had explained that their mothers were sisters, thus making their pink-haired friend related to the little blond idiot that was Naruto.

"Really," Hinata added. "I mean, first we scammed a guy a few hours ago at the gas station," she continued.

They were in a fairly large convenience store, Ino in the bathroom, Tenten looking for junk food, and Sakura buying herself a coffee at the store next door. As Hinata continued down the aisle full of _feminine hygiene products_ with the cart-pushing Naruto, she felt herself falling deeper and deeper into a hole of guilt.

"Really—"

"Why are you friends with them?" he asked bluntly, cutting Hinata off.

Hinata blinked a few times before gaping at him. "W—what? What kind of question is that?"

"Well…" Naruto shrugged, glancing at the list Sakura handed to him in the diner. He grabbed a pack of _Tampax_ tampons and a box of _Always_ with a barely repressed shudder. "I mean, you're totally different from Sakura, and I can tell that the other two are much like her."

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked, grabbing a bottle of conditioner and throwing it into the cart.

Naruto snorted. "Well, for starters, you're quiet. And you're not bossy." He smiled at her, grabbing a second bottle of the conditioner she had chosen. "You're a sweet girl. I like you!"

Her cheeks burned and Hinata made a full turn to make sure Naruto Uzumaki couldn't see her. She looked ahead at whatever was on the shelf she was now facing and almost laughed at the coincidence. Or the message from God that was being sent down to her.

Sitting innocently on the metal shelves were multiple boxes of hair dye.

"Hm…"

"Want one?"

"W—WHAT?!" Hinata whipped her head back to Naruto's direction when he asked his question, her eyes wide and nervous. "I can't possibly buy hair dye! Why would I want to dye my hair? Especially something like pink or green or yellow or whatever—I _can't_! I… I…"

She then thought back to the list.

"I… I…"

"Here."

Naruto held two packages up in front of her with a bright smile.

"Hm, _Extreme Electric Blue_ or _Quick Silver_?" he asked in a teasing voice. "Which one would you rather use, Hinata-chan?"

"I…" She blushed further, not sure if it was the nickname or something else. "What makes you think I want to dye my hair in the first place—"

"Quick Silver," Naruto said, nodding to himself, ignoring her questions. He tossed it into the shopping cart with a grin. "Ne, Hinata-chan, I think it'll look really cool in your hair!"

"Uh, thanks," she said, nodding a bit awkwardly. "And…"

When she paused, Naruto waved a hand in her face. "Hello? Hinata-chan? What's wrong—"

"I'll pay for all this stuff," Hinata rushed out, face still flushed. "The groceries, I mean. The ones that Sakura and Ino and Tenten all want to make you pay for." She smiled bashfully at him. "I… I'll help out, don't worry."

The blond blinked, feeling a bit reluctant to take her up on the offer. "Oh… Well, thanks, I guess."

Hinata then scurried away, anticipating the silver streaks she would soon don.

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* * *

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**tbc**


	4. crash into me

"Where are we going from here, exactly?" Tenten asked. She sat at the kitchen table with the day's newspaper in hand.

Sakura, who was busy making pancakes, shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know. I mean, I'm honestly taking the long way to Suna…"

"WHAT?!" the brunette shrieked, dropping the paper. She stood up and stomped over to Sakura. Sakura remained unfazed, pouring a small circle of batter into the pan to start on a new pancake while Tenten glared at her. "Are you saying we can be saving gas money?!"

She rolled her green eyes and tapped the spatula against the counter in boredom. "Well, yeah, I guess, but barely. It doesn't matter, anyways." Sakura looked off to the floor, studying the tiny flower designs on the kitchen wall paper. "I wanted to spend more time with you guys," she admitted with a shrug. "I mean, after this trip, we're all going to go our separate ways. _Again_. You and Ino have to go to your apartment, Hinata has to go see her mom in two months, and I…"

She flipped the pancake over and pressed down on it with the metal utensil.

"Well, I just wanted to spend more time with you guys."

"Ugh, it's too early to be acting emo, Sakura."

Sakura and Tenten looked to the doorway of the kitchen and saw Ino stepping in, her long hair in a messy ponytail, donning a simple pair of track pants and a t-shirt.

"I smell food," she admitted. Ino sniffed the air while rubbing her eyes groggily, still clearly tired. "Where be it?"

Tenten scowled at her and whacked the blond in the head with the newspaper. "Sakura is making us pancakes. Wait a few minutes."

Ino glared back and smiled mockingly. "Yes, _mother_."

"Pancakes?"

Naruto then stepped into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, causing Ino and Tenten to let their eyes wander. Sakura gave them all dirty looks.

"Does your mother seriously let you walk around the house like that?" Sakura asked, frowning in disapproval. "Seriously?"

He snorted back at her and walked over to the fridge to look inside. "Mom and dad are on vacation somewhere… renewing their marriage. So I'll walk around how I want!" Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. "And now I'm just barely living on the allowance they left me."

"Well that explains why there was no food in this house," Tenten commented, moving back to the table. "Sakuface and I had to go run out and do some extra groceries."

"So then technically we gained nothing, right?" Ino asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, Naruto bought us groceries last night, and you guys bought him some this morning."

Sakura shrugged. "Whatever. He might be a complete dumbass, but he's still family."

As the words came out of her mouth, a bright smile came onto Naruto's face and he moved to hug her, only to be stopped when she waved her spatula threateningly.

"Don't even try, idiot!"

"Aw!" Naruto pouted cutely. "But _Sakuface_!"

"AND DON'T EVEN TRY _THAT_!" she exploded, taking a moment to glare at Tenten for giving her that evil nickname. "Now," Sakura began, lowering her voice. "I want you to go upstairs, put on a shirt, and wake up Hinata, because we're going to eat and then go."

"Tch." Naruto frowned at his cousin. "Is that how is it?" he asked dramatically. "You don't see me for almost half a year, then you abuse me and blackmail me and freeload at my house over the night with a bunch of strangers—albeit hot ones—but strangers nonetheless." Naruto put a hand over his heart. "It _hurts_, Sakura."

"Oh, shut up," Ino said, flipping through one of his mother's fashion magazines. "Now you can brag to your man friends that you had four hot chicks over at your house last night."

Tenten made a face, saying, "Well, technically, three."

Sakura nodded, sticking her tongue out at Ino. "Yeah, I'm his cousin, you pig." She turned back to Naruto. "Now, Hinata?"

"Oh." Naruto took a moment to remember. "Oh, yeah, right—"

"No, I'm here."

The four looked to the doorway at the sound of Hinata's voice and almost gasped in shock.

Tenten was the first to recover.

"What happened to your hair?!"

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* * *

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**Count Me In  
**by: ohwhatsherface

**3. crash into me**

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* * *

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Ino fiddled with Sakura's iPod, looking for a song to listen to, as once again, the girls were on the road.

With a full tank of gas, some food in the backseat, between Ino and Sakura, and the music blaring, the girls were ready to resume their trip. Their bags were in the large trunk and there was still some room, but they opted to have the food in easy access for the trip.

"_Let's do some stupid shit, yeah_!" Ino sang loudly, finally deciding on a song.

"Ino!" Sakura immediately took the iPod away from Ino and unplugged it from the cord connecting it to the car's stereo system. "Would you focus, _please_?" At the moment, Tenten was the one driving, Hinata was in the passenger's seat, and Sakura was behind Hinata, trying to teach Ino some notes on the guitar she had brought along on their trip. "I can't help you learn how to play guitar when you're too busy singing terribly."

"Oi!" Ino yelled, pointing at Sakura with an accusing finger. "You're just jealous because you lack my vocal skills!"

Sakura snorted. "_What_ vocal skills?"

"Ugh! You bi—"

"Sakura, play _Flake_," Tenten requested before the pink-haired girl could goad Ino any further. "I feel like something acoustic."

Hinata turned around, twisting in her seat. Her silver streaks almost sparkled under the sun.

"I really like your hair, you know. Actually, you kind of remind me of Rogue," Sakura said, ignoring Tenten's request to stare at Hinata in an almost scrutinizing manner with a smile. "Although instead of red and white, you're violet and silver." Sakura smiled at her mockingly. "And you're both kinda dumb, you know with Rogue's dumb almost-the-bad-guy issues and your dumb I-was-stupid-enough-to-listen-to-Sakura's-moron-cousin issues."

The silver-streaked girl flushed slightly at Sakura's words and stuck her tongue out at her. "He's not dumb!" Hinata defended snappishly.

It went silent in the car for a moment and the only thing the girls could hear were the cars driving along with them on the highway.

Tenten let out a low whistle. "Oh, did Hinata just yell?"

"I think she did," Sakura replied, smirking at Hinata, hoping to get another rise out of the usually quiet girl.

"I—I…"

"It's true though!"

Sakura and Hinata looked over at the blond girl who had a large frown on her face, while Tenten merely stared back at Ino with the rear-view mirror.

"Excuse you?" Sakura said, raising an eyebrow at Ino.

Ino scowled at her. "It's true! He isn't dumb." She waved her arms around as she spoke. "I mean, he—he's not _dumb_. Sure, maybe he's slow, but like, who cares? He's nice and he's sweet and he's funny!" A dreamy smile made its way onto Ino's lips as she stared off at nothing. "He's really funny! He makes me laugh… And…"

Sakura gave Ino a disgusted look. "Please don't tell me you are crushing on my cousin."

"W—what?" Ino shrieked. "Not even!"

"Yeah," Hinata mumbled. She laughed awkwardly. "I mean, she barely talked to him."

"Exactly." Tenten grinned evilly, glancing at Hinata as she switched into a faster lane. "The one who was chatting up Sakura's cousin was most definitely _Hina-chan_."

It went quiet and no one noticed the way that Hinata looked ahead with a small flush on her face.

Nor did they see the envious looks Ino was sending her way.

.

* * *

.

"Why are we doing laundry _already_?" Ino whined. She paced through the laundromat they were currently visiting.

Tenten was sitting atop one of the unoccupied dryers, casually flipping through a magazine she found on one of the seats. Hinata was using the restroom in the convenience store beside the laundromat, also going to buy them some drinks, and Sakura was going through the bunches of outfits they had used so far in their past three days, sorting them out.

"Are you watching, Ino?" Tenten asked in a rather patronizing tone. "You put this on The List, remember?"

Ino rolled her eyes and glared at the brunette. "Yeah, yeah!"

"Okay!" Sakura said in a voice too perky for their tastes. "Step one: separate the colors from the whites." She moved to the spot Tenten was at and pulled herself up to sit beside her. "Get to it, Blondie," she ordered.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tenten called. "Don't forget about the delicates! You separate the delicates from the regulars, Ino."

Ino sighed, doing what they said.

Sakura clapped amiably, enjoying the 'torture' Ino was going through. "Step two: load the clothes into the washer."

"Oh, gosh, _thanks_," she spat snidely. Ino glared at Sakura as she began loading the washer. "I most definitely would not have figured that one out."

Tenten shrugged, smirked as she said, "Hey, you never know!"

And so, the next twenty minutes went on with Tenten and Sakura—the most sadistic of their quad—teaching Ino how to do her laundry, and said blonde hoping for Hinata to return _as soon as possible_ because at least Hinata was merciful and kind _unlike them_.

"Step three: allow for water to reach midway point."

"Step four: measure one cap full of laundry detergent and pour it into the load."

"Step five: wait approximately fifteen minutes, and then pour a cap full of fabric softener in."

"Step six: after the wash stops, load the damp clothes into the dryer."

Hinata was now with them, playing away at Sakura's DS, occasionally screaming at Zelda for getting caught by the guards in the temple. Tenten raised a hand after Sakura finished with the instruction and Ino proceeded to do as told.

"Wait, don't forget to press start, after step six!" the brunette added, grinning widely.

Ino rolled her eyes before glaring. "_Thanks_," she hissed. "It's almost like I couldn't figure that much out."

Some time later, the laundry was dry. Sakura hopped off of the dryer a small distance away from the one Ino was using to go stand beside the blond. She had the most serious expression that she could possibly muster on her face.

"Now, this is the most important part of all," she stage-whispered.

"What is it?" Ino asked, almost in anticipation.

"Step seven," Tenten drawled with a smirk. "When your load is dry, _fold it_."

Sulking, Ino did as told.

.

* * *

.

Tenten pouted as she read over the list, back in her usual spot in the passenger's seat. She was busy putting a checkmark beside Ino's number six, adding to the completion of Sakura's number one and Hinata's number four.

"I haven't done _anything_!" she whined, slapping her seat furiously. "Ugh, next town we stop in, I am most definitely buying a lottery ticket!"

She was not happy.

She hadn't finished _anything_ she put on The List.

"It's fine," Hinata said, trying to comfort her. "I mean, think about it." She reached forward in the car to take the list. "When am I ever going to talk on the radio?" Hinata pointed to Ino and then to Sakura. "And when is Ino going to find someone who actually wants to write a song about her—"

"HEY!"

"And like, when is Sasuke Uchiha _actually_ going to kiss _Sakura_?"

"OI!"

Hinata giggled at their reactions and waved a hand. "I'm not saying that those things are not going to happen, it's just that like, they're going to take time."

"Tch!" Ino frowned. "I can _totally_ get a song written about me!"

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Sakura muttered, slowing down considerably on the road they were on, at a reasonable pace as they passed by a police car—

_BAM!_

The came to a complete stop at the feel of being hit from behind.

"Oh no."

"Shit."

"Balls."

Ino, Tenten and Hinata all cringed as Sakura remained silent and frozen.

Tenten looked behind them only to inhale sharply and bite her lip at the sight of black SUV too close to Sakura's cherry red convertible for comfort. It wasn't terrible enough to hurt any of the girls in the car – really, all it did was scare them shitless – but still bad enough to leave a major dent.

The brunette immediately turned back to Sakura whose hands were clenched on the black leather of the steering wheel. Her sunglasses were on, but Tenten knew for sure that behind the black lenses, Sakura's eyes were narrowed down to a ferocious glare.

"Sakura," Ino began, "stay calm."

"Remember, be _rash_," Hinata encouraged, unsure of what to say to the stiffened girl.

Tenten opened and closed her mouth over and over again, not quite sure on how to console Sakura. "Um—"

"SHUT. UP."

Sakura immediately opened her door and stomped out, ready to yell at whoever crashed into them.

The three in the car whipped their heads around to see whoever was driving the black SUV open their door and step out. Ino, Tenten and Hinata all gawked.

"Oh—"

"—my—"

"—god!"

They were immediately rendered speechless.

"You!" Sakura screeched, waving her arms furiously as she spoke. "What the hell is _wrong _with you?! You crashed into my _baby_! How fucking inept… are… you…" It took a bit of a moment for Sakura to notice just who exactly crashed into her precious car. "Y—you…"

The driver took off his sunglasses only to reveal a smouldering pair of dark eyes, covered slightly by his bangs.

Sakura gaped. "Y—YOU… YOU…"

There, standing in front of her, was Sasuke Uchiha.

"YOU BASTARD!"

.

* * *

.

**tbc**


	5. see you again

"_Y—YOU_!"

It was with the mere sight of Sasuke Uchiha that Sakura's default (the-world-is-mine) expression went away with the wind and she found herself stuttering and blushing ever so slightly like the Pining School Girl she once was.

"Ah. Sakura." Sasuke shifted awkwardly under the scrutiny of the shorter girl who was busy trying to slow down her breathing and remain calm. He pulled at the blue silk tie he donned, loosening it slightly to alleviate some of the choking pressure but to no avail. "Yo."

"_What_?!"

Sakura's face faltered and she began shaking as she stared at him incredulously.

"Did you just say 'yo'?!" she shrieked. "You barely talk to me anymore and then you hit my car and all you can say to me is 'yo'?! What the hell happened to saying _sorry_?!"

Her tirade continued for a good five or six minutes until she finally stopped in her ranting to take a few heaving breaths. Sakura's angry scowl slowly melted into a confused frown as she finally noticed the black suit her he was wearing. Inwardly, she found herself smiling and giggling like a fool.

_God, he looks so sexy—_

"Um, why are you in a suit?" she asked.

Sasuke's apathetic face quickly turned into a scowl as he glared off at the ground. "I—"

"Sasuke, _do_ hurry up…"

The two of them looked to Sasuke's car where in the passenger's seat was a man who looked quite similar to Sakura's crush. He wore a tuxedo as well with a red tie. His black hair was neatly combed back into a low ponytail and he wore a pair of black Wayfarer sunglasses. He opened the door and stepped out of the car onto the side of the road where Sasuke and Sakura were discussing the issue at hand.

From Sakura's car, Ino shot up with a gawk, murmuring to herself, "Well _hello_!"

He plucked off his sunglasses and glanced at Sakura. "Ah," he greeted tonelessly but still somehow politely. "Sakura-chan, it is nice to see you again." He glanced at the three sitting in Sakura's car and nodded to them in greeting. "I am Itachi Uchiha."

"Are you sure you're not _God_?!" Tenten squealed to Hinata while Ino simply gaped.

"Yeah, nice to see you too, Itachi!" Sakura replied, not letting his utter hotness make her forget the problem. "But whatever! That does not change the fact that your moron brother—"

Sasuke had the gall to look offended. "Oi!"

"—hit my car!" Sakura yelled, arms flailing. "Ergo, since I am the owner of this car, I demand you pay for the damages," she said pointing to the bumper of her convertible which just so happened to be destroyed by the black SUV driven by Sasuke. "You know the ones that you caused!"

"Right." Itachi glanced at Sasuke. "There is no need to worry, Sakura. My brother will certainly pay for the damages that your car sustained."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he stared at his brother, almost shocked. "I will?"

Sakura mirrored his confused expression. "He will?"

Itachi nodded. "He will."

"But…" Sakura's face hardened and she looked off to the side of Itachi's face to keep from making contact with his oh-so smouldering eyes. "We're on a bit of a road trip, my friends and I… You'd have to pay like…" she shrugged sheepishly, "_now_."

"Hn." The elder Uchiha shook his head once at her. "I am afraid that that is not possible."

Sakura pursed her lips, staying silent for quite a moment. "Excuse you?"

"We were on our way to a wedding—which we are now late for—when my brother crashed into you," Itachi explained. Sakura nodded, understanding why both brothers were dressed so formally—not that she was complaining, of course. Sasuke most definitely knew how to wear a suit. "And it starts in"—he glanced at his watch—"ten minutes, therefore we will not have enough time to get your car fixed."

Her hands clenched at her sides and she struggled not to push either of the Uchiha into the passing traffic.

"Well what the hell do you want us to do while waiting then?!" Sakura screeched, waving her arms wildly. "We are on a _schedule_, you know!" That was a lie, of course, but no one had to know that. "We have places we need to be—"

"You will attend the wedding with us, Sakura-chan" Itachi declared smoothly. "Our parents would be delighted to see you again." He glanced at the passengers in Sakura's car who were watching their scene playing out anxiously, glancing between his younger brother and the pink-haired spitfire. "And your friends may attend as well. Besides, why would you turn down a free meal?"

"Why indeed?" Ino yelled.

An idea then came to Itachi's face and he fought the urge to smirk. "Sasuke will take you as his date."

"I will?"

"He will?"

"He will."

.

* * *

.

**Count Me In  
**by: ohwhatsherface

**4. see you again **

.

* * *

.

"I am never calling you a loser again," Tenten murmured to Sakura. "Clearly, you have just had an epic win. Do you not realize how lucky you are?!"

"Seriously!" Hinata sighed and pouted to the pink-haired girl. "I mean, no offence to your car, Sakura, but he just damaged the bumper a little and what are you getting? All of _this_!"

"Sasuke paying for the repairs, Sasuke taking me on an almost-date—to a wedding, at that!—and Sasuke paying for our hotel room tonight," Sakura listed with a smug grin. "I am totally now adding Windom to my freaking Empire, with Passive Aggressiva and the Land of Subtle."

Ignoring their conversation, Ino pushed passed the other three and into the beautifully decorated hall.

"This is _so_ cool!" Ino gushed loudly as she looked around the reception of the wedding of one Madara Uchiha. She smoothed out any wrinkles that may have been on her royal blue slip dress and posed in front of friends. "Do I look hot or do I look hot?"

Tenten made a face and frowned. "Hm, I don't know, my thoughts were more along the lines of 'absolutely hideous'…" She laughed at the huff Ino sent her. "Just kidding, Ino, you look fine."

"_Just_ fine?!"

"Ugh." Sakura rolled her eyes and tugged at the hem of her simple red dress. "Guys…" She looked around the large hall wildly, observing the beautiful evening gowns and cocktail dresses that the other females there were wearing. "I feel severely underdressed."

"Same," Hinata muttered, toying with the material of her yellow summer dress with the little white polka dots.

"Meh." Tenten flicked her long brown hair back in a joking manner. "I just feel ugly."

"Oi!" Ino gawked at Tenten and smacked her in the arm with her gold clutch purse. "You're wearing one of _my_ dresses, you loser!" she shrieked, pinching Tenten on the upper arm, looking very offended. "That oh-so beautiful strapless pencil dress you've got on? Yeah, it's _awesome_."

Hinata raised an eyebrow at the blond. "Simply because it's yours, of course, right?"

"Duh!"

Tenten flashed Ino an incredulous look as she gestured to the dress she was wearing. "Ino, it is freaking _leopard print_."

"Tch!" Ino scoffed and grabbed Tenten by the upper arm. "But do you not see the pretty long black gloves!"

Sakura snickered, giving Tenten a once over as she took a step back. "Honestly, Ten, you look like a hooker," Sakura admitted in the most serious voice she could manage while taking a filled champagne flute from a passing waiter. "All you need are some fishnets and then we'll send you off to a street corner."

"I know!" Tenten sulked. "Ino even _offered_ fishnets!"

Hinata turned to Ino with a bemused grin. "Isn't that a bit uh… oh, I don't know, tacky?"

"Hey!" Ino pursed her lips at them angrily and then crossed her arms over her chest as they all giggled behind their hands for the sake of modesty. "Whatever. I totally do not need any of this disrespect," she sneered. Ino flipped her hair in mocking and snobbish manner before turning away. "Now, excuse me while I go use my epic jailbait abilities to hit on some rich and successful older men who can buy me drinks."

"It's an _open bar_, you idiot!"

.

* * *

.

"Hey! You! Mr. Bartender!"

Hinata clapped

(drunkenly)

happily.

She leaned against the open bar to wave wildly at the man wiping off some glasses behind the counter. It wasn't that she was necessarily _happy_ at the moment… No—more along the lines of not-exactly-sober-all-thanks-to-freaking-Tenten-and-Sakua-those-persuasive-bitches.

The man merely stared at her apathetically, silently telling her to order.

"I demand you give me a _Screaming Orgasm_ right now!"

.

* * *

.

After Ino had walked off to entertain herself with the many eligible bachelors at the Uchiha wedding and Hinata had gone off to the open bar—post the consumption of multiple glasses of red wine—Tenten and Sakura entertained themselves by walking around the garden. The place where Madara Uchiha had chosen to hold his wedding was a very beautiful one, although what could someone expect from a rich man like him? The reception hall where the dinner was to be held was full of elegantly dressed people, most likely business associates of the old Uchiha. Along with the hall, they had rented the garden and the small pond that came with it.

Sakura and Tenten leaned against the bridge that stood over the tiny body of water, the former looking down at the fishes with a placid expression and the latter sipping on her drink.

"So, want to tell me what happened?"

Sakura glanced at Tenten who was then pacing on the bridge holding her high-heeled shoes in one hand. The brunette had an eyebrow raised at Sakura and was looking at her like her mother usually did when Mother's Intuition kicked in and she knew something was not right.

Ergo, Sakura went with the response she usually gave her mother: "Er, what?"

Tenten rolled her eyes and smacked Sakura in the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Sakura, _seriously_," Tenten said, leaning on the bridge railings next to Sakura. "I saw you earlier—we _all_ did! You were all I-am-woman-hear-me-roar before you realized the guy who hit your car was _Sasuke_ and then after that, you actually _blushed_! And you _stuttered_!"

She grimaced in response and looked away.

"Sakura!"

"Ugh!" Sakura pushed herself away from where Tenten stood and went to stand on the parallel end of the bridge. She leaned against it and then pushed herself up to sit comfortably on the railings, careful of her balance. "I…" She pressed a hand to her head and took a deep breath. "Do you… do you remember my birthday party?" That previous March, just a few months ago, Sakura had turned twenty. To celebrate, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata had driven over and stayed with Sakura and her roommate, Karin, who had thrown Sakura a huge party in their little apartment. While Tenten didn't really remember much of it, in retrospect, that may have been the first time she met Sakura's cousin Naruto, but she damn well remembered seeing Sasuke Uchiha at this party.

Well then, Tenten thought wryly, that certainly explained things.

"Oh. Well. Uh. You see…" Tenten found herself grinning widely as she remembered that night. "Okay, no, not that much, but I remember going and who was there and all! Why, what about it?"

"I…" Sakura shrugged and began to play with the hem of her dress. "Well I was trashed. I mean, we _all_ were—except Hinata, who by the way, I think is overcompensating for her lack of drinking in the past bunch of years like, _right now_ so we should probably go check on her—"

Tenten glared and punched her upper arm. "Stop changing the subject!"

"Right." Sakura nodded her head repeatedly and then began to kick her legs. "Right. Yes. Okay. Yeah—"

"Sakura."

"Sorry!" She sighed again and then ran a hand through her pink hair. "You see, I was drunk. Very drunk. I mean, I started that party off with the punch which was obviously spiked and then like, you and I did those shots and then—"

"_Sakura_!"

"I told him I love him."

"WHAT?!"

.

* * *

.

"Hey, do you want to have some _Sex on the Beach_?"

.

* * *

.

Ino Yamanaka was on a hunt.

Sort of.

"Well, it was very nice meeting you," Ino said with a large smile as backed away from another one of the eligible young men she decided to flirt with that night. As she walked away, she noticed the bride. It wasn't really hard to, considering how she was the only one there in a beautiful white wedding dress. It was a silky, halter-style, mermaid sheath dress with a pinched bust line and intricate beaded flower designs at the bottom. "Oh, that is _such_ a pretty dress!"

The woman looked at Ino, her baby blue eyes shining. "You think so?"

"Yes!" Ino squealed back, then observing the woman's caramel-coloured curls. "Is that from the Vera Wang collection?"

She nodded. "Oh, my gosh! How did you know?!"

"My mom's a wedding planner," Ino replied with a grin on her face.

"That is _so_ cool," the bride gushed. She looked around the reception carefully and then lowered her voice as she leaned in closer to Ino. "Wanna know a secret?"

"Uh…" Ino shrugged. "Sure!"

"I'm not a wearing a bra," she whispered with a wild smile on her makeup-covered face. "Really, it's not exactly like my husband married me for my mind or whatever, I mean hey, he's old enough to my father!" The bride shrugged, her grin turning coy and predatory. "I might as well give him _something_ nice, you know?"

Ino contemplated gagging.

"Yeah…" The blonde nineteen-year-old cleared her throat, grabbing a glass of wine from a passing waiter. "Well, Mrs. Uchiha, it was wonderful meeting you!" She put a hand on the young—probably in her mid-twenties—bride's shoulder and patted her gently. "Congratulations and uh, good luck with… tonight…"

As the bride skipped away happily, Ino shuddered.

"Awk-_ward_," she murmured to herself.

Ino began walking again but shrieked when her stiletto heel got caught and she almost fell.

"You really should look where you are walking, young lady."

She stood up straight at the chiding voice, ready to launch into a full out bitch fit but stopped when she realized who it was exactly that caught her and berated her like her father. It was Madara Uchiha, Sasuke's grandfather, the groom of the wedding. She managed to recognize the much older man from the wedding ceremony that they had arrived (late) to (because of the accident).

"You must be one of my wife's model friends," he murmured, observing Ino's pretty face.

"Oh?" A sly grin pulled at Ino's face as she straightened her posture and developed a confident air around. "Model friend, you say? No, I'm afraid not. I came with one of your grandsons, Sasuke, to be precise."

Madara raised an eyebrow at that. "Really, now? That is good. Between you and me, his mother was beginning to speculate that he was gay."

Ino visibly cringed.

"No, not like _that_!" she squealed. "My friend is in love with that idiot, not me! They're probably in the bathroom doing the nasty-nasty as we speak or whatever! It's not surprising, really—or well, I mean like, it _wouldn't_ be surprising if I were right, because like, when Sasuke crashed into her car earlier, they were totally just radiating UST!"

The dark-haired man looked rather confused by her rant. "UST?"

"Duh!" Ino rolled her blue eyes and waved a hand. "Unresolved Sexual Tension!"

"Ah," Madara murmured, nodding his head slightly. "I see. Slang." He sighed. "Teenagers these days…"

Ino then smirked.

"Right." She stepped forward and reached into her purse, taking out a small slip of paper (which she had previously prepared for anyone who may have interested her). Ino smiled coyly at the older man as she ran a finger along his arm. "Listen, I'm nineteen at the moment, but by the time you and your wife divorce, I'll be a bit older."

Ino slipped the paper into his pocket as Madara stared down at her with narrowed eyes, although not angrily.

"Give me a call then."

.

* * *

.

"Hey there! Want a _Blowjob_? It's my treat!"

.

* * *

.

"It's not _so_ bad," Tenten said, trying to be comforting. "I mean, you're both going off to university come September, yes, but you'll probably never see him again. You guys never hang out and you're in different programs! Or well… there's always the chance you're both at your families' cottages at the same time, which would totally suck because then you'd be neighbours and—" Tenten stopped, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Right. Um."

"Exactly!" Sakura nodded. "I mean, I think I told him because my subconscious was telling me that hey, Sasuke is officially pretty much gone away so I might as well get the truth off of my chest! I mean, now I'm relieved and… I don't have to worry about the awkward and… and…" Sakura sighed. "Balls."

Tenten snickered. "You must've been _some_ kind of drunk…"

Sakura nodded once again, this time solemnly.

"Right." Tenten took a moment to give Sakura the required sympathy before hitting her in the head a second time. "Why didn't you tell us this before, you loser?!"

"I…" Sakura scowled at her before looking away with a huff. "Well it was _only_ a few months ago—barely! And besides, I'm still trying to figure out if it actually happened. Which I think it did, unfortunately. Seriously, this is so not cool."

"Well, uh," Tenten patted Sakura on the back awkwardly. "What's the worst that could happen? It's not like Sasuke's been acting weird—"

"Sakura." The two of them jumped and looked to the end of the small bridge where they were standing to see Sasuke staring at them with his default expression of utter apathy. "My parents would like to see you, if you are not busy," he drawled, eyeing Tenten.

The brunette squirmed under his gaze. She almost rolled her eyes at his silent shouts of back-off-I-alpha-male-Sakura-my-bitch. Tenten snickered at her thoughts under her breath.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Sakura replied, glancing at Tenten who nodded back.

With that said, Sakura began walking to

(her doom)

Sasuke.

.

* * *

.

"Hello, would you like a taste of my _Slippery Nipple_?"

.

* * *

.

"Oh, Sakura, it is so wonderful to see you again!" Mikoto Uchiha said with a large grin. She embraced Sakura and kissed her on the cheek. "How are your parents? Your mother told me she and your father would be going to their cottage at the end of the month. Will you be joining them?"

Sakura smiled back uneasily. "Um, well actually, I don't know. I'm kind of on a trip with my friends at the moment, so I don't know if I'll be back by then to go along with them…"

"Really, now?" Mikoto returned to her seat, patting the chair between her and Sasuke for Sakura to sit. "Where are you going?"

"We're not sure, to be honest," Sakura replied with an awkward shrug. "We just wanted to do something together before we all went back to school."

Mikoto nodded. "Yes, speaking of school, how do you find it? You mom says you rarely come home from campus!"

Sakura then took a moment to wonder just how much her mother and Sasuke's mother spoke, deciding to herself that if she ever became a (bored, gossiping) housewife like them, then she would commit suicide.

"It's great!" she replied in a chipper tone as she suddenly felt Sasuke's eyes boring into her back.

"How are you classes? Are you still pre-med?"

"Yes," Sakura confirmed. "And they're going well. Still in high distinction, thank god."

"Well that's great to hear," Mikoto responded kindly. She took a sip of her wine before looking past Sakura at her youngest son. "See? If you behaved like Sakura you'd be doing well also." Mikoto smiled at Sakura and patted the girl on the head jokingly. "I expect you to keep an eye on him for me, Sakura. He spent all his days partying and slacking off—" Sasuke tried to protest but went ignored. "—so now he's on academic probation."

Sakura immediately turned around to gape at Sasuke. "Dude!"

"I'm _not_ on academic probation," Sasuke muttered. "Just… I didn't do very well at midterms."

"Or finals," Mikoto added.

Sasuke spoke through clenched teeth. "Or finals."

"What the heck?" Sakura poked Sasuke, still unable to believe Sasuke did poorly in his classes. He'd always been such a smart person. "What happened?"

Mikoto snorted. "Yes, Sasuke. What was your excuse again?"

"I was, um," he began softly. Sasuke's cheeks turned red under Sakura's scrutiny and he eventually looked away. He sighed. "I was _distracted_."

Sakura met his eyes and felt something flutter in her stomach.

She promptly finished the rest of her drink.


	6. don't stop til you get enough

Sakura daintily sipped on her glass of water. After all the champagne she'd consumed in her nervousness of the prospect of speaking to Sasuke (and, of course, their absolutely necessary hotel pre-drinking that, in retrospect, was completely illogical because _hello, open bar_), water was the best idea for her. She squirmed in her seat uncomfortably. The table was quiet. Save for her, Sasuke, and Mikoto, its other seats were empty. People were dancing and mingling (and drinking) as small hors d'oeuvres were brought around.

Sakura couldn't understand why she felt so nervous.

She had known the Uchiha family since she was a toddler – longer than she'd known her three best friends! Her own mother and Mikoto Uchiha (and Sakura's Aunt Kushina) had all been very good friends back in high school and college, passing it on to their children. Although Naruto didn't grow up in the same town as Sakura and Sasuke, Sakura knew the boys were both really good friends. Sakura and Sasuke, however, attended the same elementary school, the same high school, and even the same university but _nothing_. Moreover, their families were neighbours up the lake where they both had cottages, and, more often than not, scheduled their trips up their so that they could spend them together. Sakura recalled how at one point, when she was a manipulative ten-year-old, she tried pretending that she was drowning so that Sasuke would give her CPR, but Itachi was the one who saved her instead.

(Not that she minded, of course.)

"So, Sakura, whereabouts do you live during the year?" Mikoto asked.

"I have an apartment about ten minutes from campus," Sakura replied. She couldn't help but feel relieved about how close she was to her school. A lot of other people had it really bad.

"What is your roommate like?"

Sakura snorted. "I live with my friend Karin who is…" She sighed and shook her head. A smile tugged on her lips when she replied, "Karin's great. She used to be in pre-med with me but somehow switched over to journalism. She's a great roommate. She always does the dishes because she knows I hate doing them, and in return I cook her food. She's very… strong-willed. Whenever her boyfriend comes over, she just bosses him around. It's actually hilarious."

"Suigetsu, right?" She'd almost forgotten Sasuke was there.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke and raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"

Sasuke nodded. "We're both in engineering."

"Cool," Sakura replied, not too sure of how else to respond. She probably should have just asked questions about what specific type of engineering he decided to go with but she sort of knew her answers already. She knew from Suigetsu (who was a chemical engineer) that Sasuke was in the mechanical engineering field and that the two were actually friends; she'd just been playing dumb. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Are you, um, still living with Shikamaru?"

"He is indeed," Mikoto answered for Sasuke, much to her son's dismay. "That boy is just such a _darling_. Whenever we come to visit, he's always bustling around the apartment picking up after my boor of a son." She patted Sasuke's cheek affectionately. "You're so lucky to have such an energetic roommate, Sasuke."

Sakura only looked at her confusedly. Shikamaru? _Energetic_? Something wasn't right.

Sasuke scowled at Mikoto. "Shikamaru is a lazy shit, mother. He's like… Naruto. Although not as annoying."

Sakura laughed. She was about to make a comment but was interrupted:

"HARUNO, GET YOUR PASTY ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!"

She barely contained her wince. Sakura looked to the dance floor where Ino was standing, waving her arms to urge Sakura to join her. Sakura cringed when she heard a certain song playing and realized just what her dear friend had in mind.

"Come on!" Ino shouted, clapping her hands in anticipation as she approached the table. "It's _Thriller_! We _have_ to dance to this."

"Uh." Feeling Mikoto's amused stare and Sasuke's confused look, Sakura squirmed. She smiled at Ino uneasily. "Oh I'm so sorry, Ino! I don't know the dance." She prayed Ino would take a hint.

"WHAT?!" Clearly, she did not. "Don't lie, Sakuface! I mean, _you_ are the one who taught me the dance in seventh grade, remember?"

Sakura tried not to. She chuckled awkwardly and began fiddling with the tablecloth. "Um, Ino, I _think_ that you've _mistaken_ me for _Tenten_ since _I do not know the Thriller dance_."

"Oh, yes, I know which dance you're talking about." Mikoto sighed whimsically and let out a small giggle of her own. "I remember the music video for it used to scare Sasuke very much," she said, not noticing the furious and embarrassed glare Sasuke was shooting her. "But he got over it eventually."

Ino promptly pulled out a chair and sat down. "Sasu-chan was afraid of little zombies? Seriously?"

"Well, when Itachi was in eighth grade, they were doing a musical and had to learn the dance," Mikoto told them. She went into her purse and took out her wallet to look for some photographs of the young pair of Uchiha brothers. "He taught the dance to Sasuke, too."

Sasuke shook his head slightly, trying not to curse his mother.

Ino laughed and then looked at Sakura. "See, Sakuface? There's no need to be embarrassed! If two absolutely beautiful pieces of male specimen – oh, and kudos to you, Mrs. Uchiha – then there is nothing wrong with knowing it, too!"

She shot up from the table and ran over to Sakura and pulled on her arm.

"Now come on, let's _dance_!"

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* * *

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**Count Me In  
**by: ohwhatsherface

**5. don't stop til you get enough**

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* * *

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Hinata Hyuuga was sobering up.

Sort of.

According to her cell phone, it was only about nine in the evening, ergo she still had about five or so hours' worth of alcohol to pace herself with. And according to Ino, since Sasuke was paying for their hotel room, they should take advantage of the mini bar, pay per view, and room service.

She sat down at the bar and took a few breaths to calm her spinning head.

"Ugh," she groaned out, struggling to keep steady in the high stool she sat on.

"Are you okay?"

She looked to the side and if she hadn't sobered up, she most likely would have given him one of her dirty lines.

He had chestnut-coloured hair, maybe a shade or two lighter than her cousin's. He wore a well-pressed, black suit like more of the men in the room, but what made this boy stand out was the pair of black sunglasses he donned.

Suddenly, an idea came to Hinata's head.

"I'm fine," she said with a slight slur. "I'm great, seriously. Seriously!" Hinata then smiled at her brightly. "But I have a question for _you_…"

"Oh?" He sat down in the stool beside her, seeming to have much better posture. "And what is that?"

"Um… you're random and unbiased, right?"

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* * *

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Tenten was enjoying the show.

After Ino had forced Sakura to do the Thriller dance, Sasuke's mom had told the boy to dance with Sakura. A nice slow song was on and the two were awkwardly avoiding stepping on each other's feet and struggling not to make eye contact.

"Oh, they are _so_ cute together!" Tenten gushed to herself.

"They are, aren't they?" She jumped slightly at the smooth and masculine voice. Turning her head, she saw Itachi Uchiha standing beside her, a faint smile on his lips as he watched his younger brother dancing. "I always knew she had a crush on him." Itachi sat down on the chair next to Tenten's. "When they were younger, she pretended she was drowning to trick him into kissing her, I assume."

Tenten's eyes widened and she giggled. "Seriously?"

He nodded and chuckled at the fond memory. "Although I didn't figure that out until I performed CPR on her and found out she was okay. She seemed rather disappointed that Sasuke hadn't been the one to save her."

Inwardly, Tenten cursed her friend for having scored so awesomely. Outwardly, she laughed at Sakura who was jumping up and down on the dance floor, clutching her left foot, whimpering and glaring at Sasuke who most likely stepped on her. Mentally wishing Sakura good luck on her conquest and then turning away, Tenten's brown eyes gleamed predatorily as she gave Itachi her full attention.

"I never properly introduced myself to you. I'm Tenten," she said, not so subtly moving a bit closer to him.

He smiled dazzlingly and Tenten almost swoon. "I'm Itachi," he told her once more, "but I think you already knew that."

Tenten nodded. "Yes, I did."

They stared into one another's eyes for what seemed like an eternity until Itachi broke the silence. It was in no way awkward or uncomfortable, in Tenten's opinion. If anything, it just seemed tense, but in a good way.

"So tell me," Itachi began, grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handing one to Tenten, "what is this little road trip you girls are on?"

It took Tenten a moment to process his question as she was too entranced with his lips. "Huh?"

He smirked, most likely aware of the affect his sheer presence had on her. "Your road trip?"

"Oh!" Tenten shook her head in efforts to shake herself out of her stupor. "Oh. Yes. The road trip…" She paused, looking at him questionably. "The road trip to Suna." Tenten pursed her lips as she thought about the trip but came to no conclusion as to what to say. "Well… it's just a road trip, really. We just wanted to spend time together."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

Tenten sighed and her arms shot out as she spoke, nearly hitting a person passing by. "We want an Adventure—one with a capital freaking A!"

"Ah. One of those."

"Yep. One of those."

Tenten couldn't keep the giddiness out of her voice or the large grin of her face. Itachi Uchiha was positively _gorgeous_ and she was sure that if she were capable of making coherent conversation in his presence, he would be very charming as well.

"Just out of curiosity," he drawled in his silky smooth voice that made Tenten's knees go weak, "how old are you?"

The smile on her pink-painted lips widened. "How is that relevant?"

"Hn," Itachi replied with a sly smirk and a shrug.

Tenten waited a moment, hoping to come off as coy and absolutely _not_ desperate. "I'm legal." She cringed, cursing herself for saying the only thing on her mind. "I mean, I'm twenty"

"Are you now?" Her chocolate eyes widened when Itachi moved closer, putting his hand beneath her chin and raising her head to meet her gaze.

_Wow. WOW. I don't think I've ever met anyone so bloody gorgeous! _

"…asdfghjkl."

"Well said." Itachi smirked and Tenten bit her lower lip to contain her dazed smile as well as she could. "Would you like to get out of here?" he asked smoothly.

He didn't have to ask twice.

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* * *

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"You're really nice, Shino," Hinata said with a smile as she patted his hand. He had introduced himself as such minutes before and had kindly listened to every drunken slur that tumbled out of Hinata's mouth. "Really! I'm surprised you haven't just ditched me."

He simply pushed his sunglasses up and nodded. "I do what I can, I guess."

Hinata's grin widened. "Could I, um…" And almost immediately, her smile faded and her cheeks burned red. "Could I tell you my life story?"

The words came out in a confusing jumble but he seemed to comprehend her fine. "Pardon me?"

"Could I tell you my life story?" Hinata repeated, this time with more confidence.

Shino raised an eyebrow. "You can't be a day older than twenty." Her wince told him that she was even younger than that. "How much could have you have to say?"

Hinata only laughed. "Well, I suppose that's true. I'm actually nineteen – although I'll turn twenty soon! Sort of." At his confused stare, Hinata sighed. "I'm sorry. See, when we were fifteen, my best friends and I made this list where we wrote down twenty-one things we wanted to do before turning twenty-one. And, well, one of mine was to tell a stranger my life story."

"I see," Shino eventually replied. They sat in silence by the bar for a good moment before Shino nodded. "Very well. You may tell me your life story."

Hinata beamed at him.

"Well, it all started—"

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* * *

.

"This is so awkward," Sakura mumbled, not quite caring if Sasuke heard her of not – which he did, clearly, considering he was right in front of her, with his hands on her hips as they danced as per his mother's request. At Sasuke's grunt of agreement, Sakura cringed and smiled at him uncomfortably. "So—"

"I'm sorry about your car."

Sakura blinked. "What? Oh. That. Yeah, whatever." She shrugged. "I mean, obviously that sucks, but I'll deal… You're paying for it, so there's not much left to say."

He nodded. "Right."

"Yup."

They swayed in the most awkward of silences and Sakura prayed that the ground would swallow her up, which, of course, was an impossible dream. Perhaps Ino would pull a classic Ino and act like a complete hot mess and would require Sakura's assistance to find her way to the bathroom, hold her hair back, and then keep an eye over her during the night. Yes. Glancing around the room oh so subtly, Sakura spotted the blonde at the open bar giving Hinata an equally subtle thumbs-up. In the blonde's hand was a wine glass that, naturally, Ino immediately downed as a shot. Sakura almost grinned as she waited for Ino's impending alcohol poisoning.

"So, um, how's summer school?" Sakura asked. Making small talk was easier than dealing with the painful silence. It wasn't _fun_ but it was certainly the lesser of two evils.

Sasuke immediately scowled. "Boring." Sakura laughed. "Shikamaru isn't even at the apartment anymore so I'm pretty much by myself all the time."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought you liked your solitude?"

"Not when it means being alone with homework about industrial ergonomics."

"…I have no idea what you just said."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Point being, summer school is boring as hell."

"Poor baby," Sakura teased, poking his cheek. "Maybe I'll come visit you. I'm pretty sure Karin is still living up there though. She's doing an internship at Senju Press this summer."

"Yes, she's there," Sasuke confirmed. "So is Suigetsu. Believe me."

Understanding, Sakura laughed. She had no doubt in her mind that her loud roommate and her boyfriend probably made sure Sasuke didn't drown in all of his textbooks and notes. "Then I won't need to visit, I guess."

"You still can."

They both seemed to notice how quickly he replied. Immediately, Sasuke looked pointed at a spot to the left of Sakura's head while she focused on how silky his tie looked. They moved around, their pathetic attempt to "slow dance," whilst praying for the song to end. Really, this was one long song, Sakura mused with a grimace.

Strengthening her resolve, Sakura attempted to start conversation once again. "So—"

"You told me you love me."

Naturally, Sakura froze.

Her feet stopped moving and her eyes widened immensely. One hand fell away from Sasuke's broad shoulder to point at him accusingly. "Oh, my god!" she shrieked. "That wasn't even _remotely_ subtle! You can't just _say_ things like that!" She punched Sasuke's shoulder and paid no heed to her grunt of pain. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sasuke grabbed her wrist before she could do more damage and quickly twined his finger through hers. It wouldn't do to fight in the middle of the dance floor. When he stared down at her pointedly, Sakura only pouted. "Well… _you_ failed classes because you were _distracted_." She sneered at him. "What was _troubling_ you, Sasuke?"

He blushed. "I was just having a bad month."

"Of course."

"I'm telling the truth."

"I'm sure you are."

He frowned at her curtness. "I'm not trying to pick a fight, Sakura." The song they were dancing to finally came to an end. Sasuke tightened his hold on Sakura when she tried to get away from him, forcing her to dance for one more song. "I'm trying to finish our conversation from your birthday—"

Sakura winced. "You really don't have to!"

"—because you ran away before I could say anything." Sasuke almost chuckled at her tightly closed eyes. "Sakura, look at me."

"_Nooo_."

Sasuke sighed. "You're being childish." When she ignored him, he poked her forehead, prompting her to open her eyes to glare at him.

"Ass," she muttered.

He shrugged. "You still love me." When he saw the redness creeping back to her cheeks and the way she was looking around the room as if pleading for someone to save her, Sasuke stopped dancing. He gently cupped her cheeks as he rested his forehead against her. "And I love you too."

And before she could reply, he kissed her.

.

* * *

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"I have one sister. Her name's Hanabi. Right now, she's fourteen. She just started high school this year. She's smart. _Really_ smart. She's disgustingly smart, actually. I almost hate her for it, almost please don't tell anyone I said. I'm only telling you because I don't know you. You're Random and Unbiased and I am eternally grateful for that. Do we get along? Well, to be honest, we just don't get _anything _together. We really just coexist, for lack of a better term. She's there and I'm around, you know? We're not close. I'll pick her up from school or make her dinner or help her with her homework, but we're not _close_-close like sisters should be, you know? We don't talk. I don't know how to talk to her.

"My parents have always liked her more. She's… she's _perfect_, really. She's smart, she's pretty, she's athletic, she behaves.

"Granted, I behave as well, but my friends are a little more… _rambunctious_ – like, to the point that my dad thinks I'm just like them and that that is not a good thing.

"Oh, right, my parents.

"Well, they're divorced. They divorced when Hanabi was three, actually, so I was around eight-years-old at the time. It was for the best. Really, they were two people who, again, were simply coexisting. There's no bad blood between them, almost naturally, I suppose there's some lingering bitterness, but I don't think anyone cheated or something equally heinous. Anyhow, my father got custody of Hanabi and I and he was the one who raised us. My father is very… stern. He's not unkind – or well, he's not _cruel_, but he treats me well enough. He wasn't very pleased when Sakura, Ino, and Tenten showed up – I'll tell you about them after – but he let me leave with them anyway. He's not a monster, but I know if someone asked him who his favourite daughter was, it certainly wouldn't be me. He never treated me cruelly, but we never ever managed to connect with one another. I never understood why. Sometimes I think it's because I look just like my mother. But at other times, I get it. He just connects better with Hanabi. They're both very similar. He just… He has _expectations_.

"And I have a cousin named Neji. He's important here because, well, he's always been around. He's more like a brother than a cousin, I guess. He's a year older than me. He's actually dated my friend Tenten. Again, she comes later. But yeah, they had a thing and let's just say my friends aren't really too keen on crashing family events at my place since he's bound to be there. Again, like with my sister and my father, we aren't particularly close, but Neji is just so protective. Once, I was at a bar with everyone and this guy came up to me. He wanted to buy me a drink but I told him that was okay. He accepted it and was probably about to walk away but Neji just came between us and stood there. It was sweet, really, but also kind of embarrassing.

"I live with Neji, actually.

"We go to school together. We're actually both in the same program. Accounting. I'm lucky. He goes through everything first and then coaches me on how to get through all of my classes. Neji's the best. I'd never tell him that to his face, but I'm glad he's around. He's just really great.

"Yes, yes, I know I have to tell you about my friends.

"…oh, god. My _friends_. I don't even know where to begin."

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* * *

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Itachi managed to tear his eyes away from Tenten's heaving chest for a moment to frown at the folded pieces of paper scattered around the room.

"Are those _cranes_?"

Tenten cringed. She _knew_ having a "crane fight" while pre-drinking and dressing up was a terrible idea.

Laughing awkwardly, she pulled Itachi's lips back down to her own to distract him.

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* * *

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"Well, there's Tenten. She's the oldest among us. She's super fun. She loves running around and being super active. She _jogs_, can you believe that? Like, she actually gets up at dawn and _runs_. I mean, who does that? Okay, fine, lots of people do. But Ino always complains about how Tenten jogs every morning and makes her feel fat. Tenten reminds me of a mama bear. She's super protective of us, but she loves to act like being older makes her super wise and experienced. It's funny, actually. I adore her. She's always up for some kind of outing, whether it be going to the beach, attempting to make a pizza from scratch – and I emphasize the "attempting" – or a random decision to take Krav Maga classes.

"Oh, and there's Sakura. Sakura's super tough. She doesn't take people's shit and she tends to be a little violent when she doesn't get her way – which, actually, is quite rare. She just has this way with people where she manages to manipulate everyone into doing what she wants. It must be the fake smiles. She has what we call her "fake voice" when she gets really high-pitched and sounds like her IQ dropped a little. Or, well, a lot. It's funny to watch her talk to people she doesn't like. That's when she uses it. I suppose it's because she's really smart that she can do that stuff. That girl is definitely gonna go places, that's for sure.

"And Ino. Ino's… Oh, _Ino_. She's hilarious. She's so bold, that girl. She takes what she wants and never takes no for an answer. Ino stands up for herself and is just so damn _daring_. She's extremely assertive. She's gorgeous and she isn't afraid of talking to strangers. Wherever we go, people just flock to her. She's just so magnetic, really. Like, all the girls just compliment her on her style and every guy in the room tends to salivate over her. She's not vapid or anything. Granted, she's not the sweetest girl, but if you're her friend, she's loyal to the boot.

"Ha, ha, I could never choose between the three of them! They're _all_ my favourite.

"Sometimes I wish I was more like Ino though, I guess. If I had to choose one, that is. She's so confident and assertive.

"Jealous? Well, jealous is such a gross word. What about… okay, fine, we'll go with jealous.

"I suppose I should just be honest with you since, like I said, you're Random and Unbiased. So fine, yeah, I'm jealous. But I still love her.

"I love all of them."

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* * *

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**Note:** And finally, your _real_ update. So I've made an outline for this entire story and it will be a grand total of eleven chapters, assuming I don't change anything. It'll feature a guitar-playing Kiba, a hippie, van-travelling, pot-smoking Akatsuki, and more Sasuke/Sakura than any other pairing because I am ohwhatsherface. But don't worry, after this chapter the Sasuke/Sakura will take the backseat for a while since this _is_ a friendship!fic first and foremost.


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